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SECRET *V Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH 26 October ^977 President Amin Now that the General Debate in the United NatJ Assembly has finished, it should be possible to degree our level of preparedness for an attempt by Amin to enter the United Kingdom on his way to New York. We can only relax to this extent because we have seen a report suggesting that President Amin may still plan to visit the United Nations later this year. Although the General Debate is over, it is open to a Head of State to address the General Assembly at any time during its sitting provided the Secretariat is given advance notice, which would not normally be less than three days. It is also conceivable that President Amin could seek at some stage to muscle in on a Security Council Debate, which would also be possible at little notice. It is clear that the problem of a surprise visit to this country by President Amin is one that will be with us indefinitely. However,except in periods of particular risk, such as that immediately before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the General Debate in the UN General Assembly, we do not need to be in a constant stage of advanced preparedness and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary is aware of the strain that this places upon the resources of all concerned e.g. through police and transport being on permanent stand-by. He would therefore like to suggest that we settle now for a system whereby the Immigration Services remain under standing inistructions to refuse Amin entry and the National Air Traffic Services remain under permanent instructions to inform the Department of Trade if President Amin's personal aircraft should enter UK airspace or seek to land here (in which case the pilot should be told that he does not have permission to land) or if they receive advice that a commercial aircraft is approaching UK airspace with President Amin on board. We and the other departments concerned are confident that the continuing precautions outlined in this letter would enable us to move into action at short notice, drawing on the contingency plan as necessary. I am copying this letter to the Private Secretaries of the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Trade and to the Cabinet Secretary. J S Wall B G Cartledge Esq Private Secretary